Solving Contest 2009-01-25, ISC Categ1 Round2

The Fifth International Solving Contest (ISC) took place simultaneously in many countries (see announcement and the preliminary results of the Greek solvers).

From ISC 2009 we present the problems of the 2nd Round of the 1st Category (more difficult problems, with international ranking for the solvers) for you to practise.
These problems are really difficult, with many tries to lead you astray, but is always worthwhile to put your abilities to the test.

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Problems for solving. (The solutions are at the end of this post).

	(Problem 300) O. Wielgos, Die Schwalbe 1962 Mate in 2. #2 (10 + 9)
[1rs5/5Q2/2p3pb/2p1P3/3SkP2/5SpP/s1PP4/3B2K1]

	(Problem 301) V. Sichev, Memorial Nabokova 1994, e.E., Mate in 3. #3 (11 + 3)
[7K/1pp3B1/6P1/4R2P/3ppk1P/RS3p1P/2r2P2/b4S1s]

	(Problem 302) V. Pachman, Second Prize, Schach 1959, Mate in 4. #4 (7 + 7)
[5q2/p1B3p1/k1S1B1P1/S7/P5K1/4pp2/1s6/8]

	(Problem 303) S. Hornecker & M. Minski, Original, Problem-Forum 2009, White plays and wins. + (7 + 6)
[8/8/3s2r1/p2Pkr2/7K/4SRp1/7P/6SR]

	(Problem 304) R. Arnold, Original, Helpmate in 5. h#5 (5 + 7)
[1s6/8/1Kp5/4q3/5p2/3p1P2/P1bP4/S3k3]

	(Problem 305) W. A. Shinkman, Pittsburgh Post, 1924, Selfmate in 3. s#3 (7 + 8)
[K1Ss2s1/p1k1P2R/4pB2/2bQ4/8/q7/2R3b1/8]

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The solutions of the problems
With bold writing we include the Points, 5 points for each complete solution.

(Problem 300) O. Wielgos, (Die Schwalbe 1962), #2

Tries : [1 Qf7xg6+? Ke4-d5!], [1 d2-d3+? Ke4-e3!], [1 Sd4-e2? Bh6xf4!], [1 Sd4-e6? Rb8-b5!].

Key : 1 Sd4-f5! (5) ( > 2 Sf5xg3#)
1...g6xf5 2 Qf7-c4#
1...Bh6xf4 2 d2-d3#
1...Ke4xf4 2 Sf5-d6#


(Problem 301) V. Sichev, (Memorial Nabokova 1994, e.E.), #3

Tries : [1 Bg7-h6+? Kf4xe5!], [1 Re5-f5+? Kf4xf5!], [1 Sb3xd4? Ba1xd4!], [1 Sb3-c5? Rc2xc5!], [1 Ra3-a8? Rc2-c6!], [1 Ra3-a5? b7-b5!].

Key : 1 Sb3-d2! ( > 2 Re5xe4+ (0.5) Kf4-f5 3 Ra3xf3#)
1...d4-d3 2 Re5xe4+ (0.5) Kf5 3 Sf1-e3#
1...Ba1-c3 2 Sd2-c4 (1) ( > 3 Bg7-h6#)
1...Rc2-c3 2 Re5-d5 (1) ( > 3 Bg7-h6#)
1...Rc2xd2 2 Ra3-a8 (1) ( > 3 Ra8-f8#)
___2...Sh1-g3 3 f2xg3#
1...e4-e3 2 Ra3xe3 (1) ( > 3 Bg7-h6# / Re3-e4# / Re3xf3#)
___2...Sh1-g3 3 Bg7-h6# / Re3xf3# / f2xg3#
___2...Sh1xf2 3 Bg7-h6# / Re3xf3#
___2...Rc2-c3, Rc2xd2 3 Bg7-h6# / Re3-e4#
___2...d4xe3 3 f2xe3#


(Problem 302) V. Pachman, (Schach 1959, Second Prize), #4

Tries : [1 Bc7-d8? Qf8xd8!], [1 Be6-c4+? Sb2xc4!], [1 Be6-c8+? Qf8xc8+!], [1 Sc6-b4+? Qf8xb4+!], [1 Sc6-d8? Qf8-b4+!], [1 Sc6-b8+? Qf8xb8!], [1 Kg4-h4? Qf8-f4+!], [1 Kg4-g5? Qf8-c5+!], [1 Kg4-g3? Qf8-d6+!].

Key : 1 Kg4-h3! ( > 2 Sc6-b4+ Qf8xb4 3 Be6-c8+ (2) Qb4-b7 4 Bc8xb7#) (the bQ is overloaded, because must focus her attention on b4, b8 and c8)
1...Qf8-h8+
___2 Kh3-g3 ( > 3 Sc6-b4#)
___2...Qh8-b8? 3 Sc6xb8#
___2...Sb2-d3 / Sb2xa4 3 Be6-c4#
___2...Qh8-h2+
______3 Kg3xh2 ( > 4 Be6-c8# / Sc6-b4# / Sc6-b8#)
______3...Sb2-d3 4 Be6-c4# / Be6-c8# / Sc6-b8#
______3...Sb2xa4 4 Be6-c4#
___2...Qh8-h3+
______3 Kg3xh3 ( > 4 Be6-c8# / Sc6-b4# / Sc6-b8#)
______3...Sb2-d3 4 Be6-c4# / Be6-c8# / Sc6-b8#
______3...Sb2xa4 4 Be6-c4#
___2...Qh8-h4+
______3 Kg3xh4 ( > 4 Be6-c8# / Sc6-b4# / Sc6-b8#)
______3...Sb2-d3 4 Be6-c4# / Be6-c8# / Sc6-b8#
______3...Sb2xa4 4 Be6-c4#
___2...Qh8-f8 3 Be6-c8+ (3) Qf8xc8 4 Sc6-b4#


(Problem 303) S. Hornecker & M. Minski, (Original, Problem-Forum 2009), +

Key : 1 Sg4+! (1) (not 1 Rxf5? Sxf5+! 2 Sxf5 Kxf5 3 Sf3 gxh2 4 Sxh2 Ke4 5 Rd1 Rd6 6 Sg4 a4 7 Kg3 a3 8 Kf2 a2 = ,
nor 1 hxg3? Rxf3 2 Sxf3+ Ke4 = ,
nor 1 Rxg3? Rh6+! 2 Kg4 Rf4+ 3 Kg5 Sf7#)
1...Rxg4+
2 Kxg4 Rg5+
3 Kxg5 (1) Se4+
4 Kg4 g2
5 Rf1 (2) gxh1=Q
6 Sf3+ Kxd5
7 Rxh1 Sf2+
8 Kg3 Sxh1+
9 Kg2 Kc4
(not 9...a4 10 Sd2 a3 11 Sb1 a2 12 Se3+ +- )
10 Sd2+ (1) Kc3
11 h4 +-


(Problem 304) R. Arnold, (Original), h#5

Key : 1 c5! (makes room for the bS in the fifth move) Kb5
2 Qb2+ (the bQ has passed over the critical square c3) Kxc5
3 Kxd2 (this must happen before the movement of the wS) Sb3+
4 Kc3 (opens the d2 for the wS) Sd2
5 Sc6 (unique waiting move) Se4# (5)


(Problem 305) W. A. Shinkman, (Pittsburgh Post, 1924), s#3

Tries : [1 e8=Q+? / e8=S+? / e8=R+? / exd8=B+? / exd8=S+? / Be5+? Kxc8!], [1 exd8=R+? Se7!], [1 Qb7+? Sxb7!].

Key : 1 Rh8! ( > 2 exd8=B+ Kxc8 3 Qc6+ / Qb7+ (0.5) Bxc6# / Bxb7#)
1...exd5 2 exd8=Q+ Kc6 3 Sxa7+ (1) Qxa7#
1...Kxc8 2 exd8=R+ Kc7 3 Qb7+ (1) Bxb7#
1...Sc6 2 e8=S+ Kxc8 3 Qxc6+ (1) Bxc6#
(the problem is an Allumwandlung, since it shows the four promotions)
1...Sxe7 2 Be5+ Kxc8 3 Qb7+ (1) Bxb7#
1...Bf1, Bh3 2 Qxd8+ Kc6 3 Sxa7+ (0.5) Qxa7#